Although film study is now widely accepted as part of the curriculum of higher education, there appears to be no single accepted method of teaching the subject. In order to design an instructional unit for a one-semester, introductory film study course for community college students, a review of the literature was carried out to examine the approach, content, and design used in film study courses. Consequently, an approach was developed that emphasized the analysis of individual films considered in their historical context. An instructional design was developed modeled after that of Jerrold E. Kemp, whose eight-step plan is built around the answers to questions about objectives, activities and resources, and evaluation. Goals of the course, learner characteristics, preassessment, and support services are common to all units in the plan. For each unit, general purpose, subject content, learning objectives, evaluation, teaching and learning activities and resources, support services, and worksheets are individually considered. The goals of the course are to understand and appreciate films and to learn about their history and technical development. Three topics were chosen to meet these goals: origins of motion pictures, the first films, and early filmmakers George Melies and Edwin S. Porter. (HOD)